Directions:Stir together the milk, water, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool to lukewarm.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, sugar and yeast. Pour in the milk mixture and stir until the dough starts to come together, adding more water of the mixture looks dry or more flour if the mixture looks wet. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Cover with a towel and wait until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough and divide into 6 even portions. Roll each between your hands until a smooth, approximately 8 inch long tube forms. Place on a lined baking sheet. Allow to rise 20 minutes (they should double in bulk) then gently stretch them out to slightly increase their length.

Cover the breadsticks with the towel again and set aside for 20 additional minutes minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400. Whisk together the butter, garlic powder and salt. Brush generously onto the tops of the rolls. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown on both the top and the bottom and when tapped, they sound hollow. Immediately sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

My thoughts:

I had never made breadsticks before but once I started thinking about them I couldn't get them out of my head. So I set out to make as simple yet satisfying a breadstick recipe that I could and this is what I ended up with. I must say, these are some great breadsticks. Easy to make, soft on the outside with a solid crust and a garlic flavor that isn't too overpower but isn't weak either. They are lovely dipped in a tomato based sauce or as a side dish to any meal.